Shoring apparatus for graves and like excavations



Nov. 21, 1933. s. B. FIELDS ET AL 1,935,704

SHORING APPARATUS FOR GRAVES AND LIKE EXCAVATIONS Filed June 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Shoat l INVENTOR 541W 5. F/Ews AND y LAURENGE KLEIN 1 1 1 Mew TORNEYS NOV. 21, 1933. s bs ET AL 1,935,704

SHORING APPARATUS FOR GRAVES AND LIKE EXCAVATIONS Filed June 5, 1932. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR SAMUEL B. FIELDS y LA aka/van: KLEIN 41 M ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 21, 1933 PATENT oF icE .SHOBING APPARATUS FOR GRAVES AND LIKE EXOAVATIONS Samuel B. Fields, Sufiield, and Laurence Klein,

Thompsonville, Conn.

Application June 3, 1932. Serial No. 615,136

9 Claims. (Cl. 6139) This invention relates to devices for use in excavations for preventing the earth walls of the excavation from caving in, and while adaptable to excavations in generalit has a particular utility in the digging of graves and similar openings, where the excavation must be kept free from obstruction.

One object of the invention is to provide a structure which shall be portable and easily placed in operative position. Further objects reside in the provision of a structure adaptable to various sizes of openings, and a simplicity of operation which will facilitate the work of excavation so that the time required for opening a grave, for example, is decreased. Other and further objects will be apparent from the following specification and claims. Thisapplication is a continuation in part of application Serial No.

567,420, filed October '7, 1931.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a small scale diagrammaticplanview showing one form of the apparatus in positionfor the opening of a rectangular excavatiomsuch as a grave;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device on'a larger scale showing it in the position it assumes in the course of the excavating operation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing certain details of construction;

Fig. 6 is a small scale plan view of a modified v form;

Fig. '7 is a front elevation on a larger scale of the modified form shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view substantiallyon line 8 8 ofFig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detailsectional view showing an alternative manner ofsuspending the upper plate from the edge of the excavation; and i Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a further modification.

The apparatus according to this invention comprises two or more overlapping plates, adapted to be positioned at the side of the excavation, and interconnected for relative movement to extend the area covered by the plates, together with means for holding them in vertical position against the pressure'of the earth wall.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the apparatus is formed of a plurality of shoring units or extensible wall sections indicated at S in Fig. 1, 55 arranged around'the sides of the excavation.

Each unit comprises a main plate 4 positioned in overlapping relation with a second plate or extension 6. Plates 4 and 6 are slidably mounted on vertical stakes 7 by means of eyes 8 secured to plate 4 and similar eyes 9secured to plate 6m alignment with the eyes 8. Thestakes 7 are driven into the ground within and closely adjacent the side of the excavation and anchor the bottom of the unit as hereinafter. more fully described. The plate '4 is preferably provided adjacent its upper edge with reenforcing strips 10 and 11 respectively, riveted, or otherwise secured, to the front and rear faces :of the plate. The upper end of plate 4 is held in position against the edge of the excavation by guys 12'connected to hooks 13, secured to the rear face of the plate, and to stakes l2 driven into the ground at a suitable distance from the excavations. Guys 12 may take the form of chains,icables, ropes or' other suitable connecting means.

The front face of .plate 4 is provided adjacent its lower edge with a strip 14 and the rear face of plate 6 is provided adjacent its, upper edge with a similar strip 15. These strips serve to reenforce the edges of the plates' and further by their abutment limit the relative movement of the plates, preventing the extension of plate 6 beyond the lower edge of plate 4.

, Plates 4 and 6 are preferably'interconnected to'prevent relative-movement at right angles to the wall of theexcavation and assure contact of the strips 14 and 15. In the form shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the side edges of plate 4 are bent to form channels 17 and the side edges of plate 6 are bent forwardly to form flanges l8, slidably engaging in channels 17, as best shown in Fig. 4. If desired angle irons 19 may be riveted or otherwise secured, as at 19", to flanges 18 in the manner shown in Fig. 5 to make a stiff and'more rigid structure. i

, Plate 6 is preferably provided with a handle 20. In operation the excavation is opened to a depth of onegor two feet in the usual manner. The shoring apparatus is then set in vertical position against-the walls of the excavationrwith plate 4 completely overlapping plate 6 and the stakes '7 passed through eyes 8 and 9 and driven firmly into the ground. The stakes may be initially driven to a pointbelow the final level of the excavation or-they may be'driven progressively as the excavation proceeds. The guys 12 are secured to hooks 13 and their respective stakes 14. The plates now define the sides of the excavation andserve as accurate guides for the-"further excavation. As the digging pro- Cil gresses, the plate 6 normally lowers by its own weight but if not it may be forced downwardly by means of handle 20. The plates in all relative positions are held at the bottom by the engagement of the stakes in the ground and at the top by guys 12 so that the walls of the excavation are retained in vertical position with the interior of the excavation unobstructed.

Where the excavation is made box may be lowered and the grave substantially filled with the shoring apparatus in place, since the formation and relative thinness of the plates permit of their ready withdrawal afterthe grave is closed. v

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 is shown a modified form in which the guys 12 are replaced by rectangular hooks 21, riveted or otherwise secured as at 22 to the upper edge portion of plate 4,-whieh hooks engage over planks 23 which are formed in a rigid rectangular frame around and closely adjacent the edgesor upper rim of the 1 excavation. The

planks are held together and in position by long spikes 24 passing throughholes 25 formed in the end portions of theplanks and into the ground, as shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 6, one end of each plank is provided with a plurality of the holes 25.permitting adjustment of the size of the thereby hold the. plate in position.

Fig. 10 illustrates an alternative means ,of interconnecting plates 4 and" 6. As there shown the side fianges areomitted and the plates are connected for relative movement by means of a headed pin secured to the rear face of plate 6 and adapted to ride in a vertical slot 31 formed in plate 4. V V

Among the advantages-which may be mentioned for the herein described shoring apparatus is that the means interconnecting the overlapping plates facilitate the sliding of the lower plate or plates automatically by gravity or by applied pressure into shoring position as the digging of the grave progresses and furthermore in the removal of the shoring apparatus after the grave is completed, the withdrawal or" the top plate carries with it the lower connected plate or plates and this is particularly important in such instances as where it may be desirable to T refill or partially refill the grave before removal of the shoring apparatus. The withdrawal of the shoring apparatus may also be accomplished progressively with the filling up of the grave to insure against a premature cave-in.

.We claim:

1; Shoring apparatus for graves and the like, comprising in combination, a main plate and an extension plate in superposed relation for placing in a substantially vertical planeat a side of an excavation, guiding means at opposite sides of said plates to facilitate relative sliding movements thereof in a vertical direction whereby the extension plate may be moved so that its lower edge is moved towards the bottom of an excavation, stakes positioned at a side of said plates adapted to have theirlower ends driven into the ground below the plane of the lower edge of the extension plate and guides on said plates slidably receiving said stakes whereby theymay be moved indeior a grave, the

pendently of one another and independently of the plates.

2. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like,

comprising in combination, a main plate and an edge is moved towards the bottom of an excavation, stakes positioned at a side of said plates adapted to have their lower ends driven into the ground below the plane of the lower edge of the extension plate, guides on said plates slidably receiving'said stakes whereby they may be moved independently of one another and independently of the plates and means to limit the sliding movements of said plates in one direction.

3. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like comprising in combination, substantially, flat main and extension plates for placing in a substantially, verticalposition at a side of an excavation, opposite vertical marginal side edges of one plate being formed toprovide guideways receiving opposite marginal edges of the other plate whereby the extension plate may slide downwards ly relative to the main plate in a vertical direction so its lower edge may be moved towards the bottom of an excavation, spaced guides on said plates having vertically disposed stake receiving parts, stakes slidable in said. guides adapted to have their lower. ends driven into the ground whereby the plates are supported thereby and stop devices associated with said plates to limit relative sliding movements thereof and prevent the extension plate being moved downwardly from ofi the main plate.

4. 'Shoring apparatus for graves and the like, comprising in combination, substantially fiat mainand extension plates adapted for placing in an excavation in a substantially vertical position against a side of said excavation, opposite marginal side edges of one of said plates being formed to provide guideways receivingopposite marginal side edges of the other plate whereby the extension plate may be 'rnoved downwardly of the main plate in a vertical direction so that its lower edge may be moved into abutment with the bottom of an excavation, stop devices associated with said plates to limit the downward movement of the extension plate relative to the inain plate and prevent separation of said plates, guides associated with said plates arranged in vertical aligned sets and stakes independently slidable in said guides adapted to have their lower ends driven into the ground below the edge of said extension plate whereby the plates are supported in a vertical position thereby.

5. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like comprising in combination, a plurality of over lapping plates adapted to be positioned vertically a il he Side of an excavation, means for interconnecting said plates to permit limited relative movement therebetween for extending the .area covered therebkjstakes slidably connected with said plates and of greater length than the 6. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like comprising in combination, substantially flat main and extension plates disposed in superposed relation for placing in a substantially vertical plane at a side of an excavation, interengaging guiding means associated with said plates to facilitate relative sliding movements thereof in a vertical direction whereby the extension plate may be moved relative to the main plate so that the lower edge thereof maybe moved progressively towards the bottom of an excavation, guides on said main plate and guides on said extension plate in vertically aligned relation, stakes in said guides slidable independently of one another and independently of the said plates, the said stakes adapted to have their lower ends driven progressively into the ground below the plane of the lower edge of the extension plate as said plate is moved progressively downwardly of the main plate.

'7. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like comprising in combination a vertically extensible wall section formed of overlapping plates in interslidably connected relation adapted to be positioned vertically at the side of an excavation and to be extended down over said side as the digging of said excavation progresses, and one or more vertically supporting stakes adjacent said wall section having their lower endsdriven into the ground at the bottom of said excavation.

8. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like comprising in combination a vertically extensible wall section formed of overlapping plates in interslidable relation adapted to be positioned vertically at the side of an excavation and to be extended down over said side as the digging of said excavation progresses, one or more vertically supporting stakes adjacent said wall section having their lower ends driven into the ground at the bottom of said excavation, and a rigid frame completely surrounding said excavation at the rim thereof and connecting means between the same and said wall section.

I 9. Shoring apparatus for graves and the like comprising in combination, main and extension plates superimposed one upon the other and 0011 nected together in intersliding relation to form a vertically extensible unitary wall section, said plates adapted to be positioned vertically at the side of an excavation whereby the extension plate may be moved progressively downward relative to the main plate to cover the side of said excavation as the digging thereof progresses, one or more vertically disposed stakes in contiguous reinforcing relation to said plates adapted to be driven into the ground below the bottom edge of said extension plate, and means for anchor- 

